The landlord of a popular coffee chain in Bury says the shop was repossessed after it "absconded" from its premises.

Property company Bruntwood, which co-owns the Mill Gate Shopping Centre with the council, took back possession of Gloria Jean’s Coffee last week.

Bruntwood, which acted as Gloria Jean’s landlord says it has had no response to its attempts to contact the Australian coffee company regarding its Mill Gate shop and has therefore repossessed the unit.

Bruntwood says it is in talks with another operator about filling the vacant unit.

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A spokesperson for Bruntwood said: "Gloria Jean's Coffee absconded from the unit at Mill Gate earlier this month.

“We have tried to make contact with the organisation but to no avail and so we have taken back possession of the unit.

“We are now in talks with another independent operator, so we hope to have positive news as regards to the unit soon."

Last week, shoppers spotted a forfeiture notice had been stuck on the window of the café which said that bailiffs had entered the property on behalf of the landlord.

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A forfeiture notice is issued via a bailiff when a tenant has breached the conditions of their lease. 

It means the landlord has taken back possession of the property, and prevents the former tenant from reentering the premises. 

Gloria Jean’s opened its Bury store in the Mill Gate in summer 2021, where it operated for less than two years before closing last week.

The branch was one of only eight across the UK.

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Gloria Jean’s is an Australian chain which operates more than 1,000 coffee houses in 39 countries, including more than 460 in Australia.

According to its website, Gloria Jean’s plans to open 15 more sites across England, Scotland and Wales.

It has been approached for a comment about the Bury closure.